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...rookie has struggled. His past three finishes have been 37th, 33rd and 26th. The team has a basic strategy for the first-yeardriver - finish the race. Part of that lesson includes a 27th-place starting spot in today's race. As tempting as...

...seems to favor quick drivers such as Newman. In 2002, he won this event as a rookie, only the second time a first-yeardriver accomplished the feat. Another victory would make him the fifth driver to win the race twice, and it also might...

...his rookie campaign, is on the pole with a fast lap of 186.940 mph. While he's clearly been the best of the first-yeardrivers, his three runner-up finishes - and three pole positions - have been matched with finishes of 30th or worse three...

...addition of a title sponsor. That was followed by the elimination of the mandatory rookie meeting and the exclusion of first-yeardrivers from winning the pole position. After today's Mountain Dew Southern 500 (Sunday, 1 p.m., NBC), the last...

...Harvick and Ryan Newman - Mears was asked how important it was to be considered the best among this year's crop of first-yeardrivers that includes Greg Biffle, Jack Sprague, Tony Raines and Ganassi teammate Jamie McMurray. "I'd rather win...

...Allison's 1983 Winston Cup Series championship while he drove for Miller Beer, talked about the rigors of being a first-yeardriver and his goal of driving a Winston Cup car. Q: How hard has the Busch Series been this year? A: It's tough...

...but he trails Newman in the rookie of the year competition, which takes into account the top 18 finishes for a first-yeardriver. While Johnson's overall package is the best on the entire circuit, Newman has a more-attractive portfolio...

...unable to continue. Bell was able to drive his car to the pits, where chief steward Wally Dallenbach told the first-yeardriver he was out of the race. "I made a mistake," Bell said Monday. "I thought I could get through successfully...

...rookie record of three in 1999. Stewart finished fourth in points that season to establish the benchmark for a first-yeardriver. "I'm amazed that it's come this early," Johnson said. "I've won three poles and two races. I've...

...race." Atwood's pole marked the first time in more than 20 years that three rookies won pole positions. Other firstyeardrivers to start first on race day this year are Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. Phoenix proved to be a boon for Dodge. Not...